Optimizing the Trade of Virtual Water in Regional Cropping Pattern of the Isfahan Province: Application of Multi-Criteria Models

نویسندگان [English]

M. Mardani1؛ Saman Ziaei2؛ A. Nikouei3

1Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of Khuzestan

2Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Zabol

3Assistant Professor of Economic, Social and Extension Research Department, Isfahan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Isfahan, Iran

چکیده [English]

Virtual water trade as a new approach to global water resources, has attracted global attention and allocation of 90 percent of the agricultural sector to this trade has revealed special attention to it. The present study with the aim of optimizing the trade of virtual water in 23 cities located in the Isfahan province was done in 2014. For this purpose a multi-criteria regional cropping pattern with the ability to transfer crops was designed and implemented. The results of this study showed that Isfahan province has 118.7 million cubic meters net exports of virtual water in the current cropping pattern and implementation of the multi-criteria model led to 17.8 million cubic meters net import of virtual water. Therefore, improvement of net import of virtual water was 136.5 million cubic meters that it shows the stored virtual water during the optimization process of exchanges. Renewable water per capita index (Falkenmark) with an average of 119 cubic meters per year improved by multi-criteria. The results can help to decision-making managers in the optimization field of virtual water trade. From this point of view can be cited determination of regional net virtual water trade in order to deal with inappropriate temporal and spatial distribution of precipitation in Isfahan province by transport of agricultural products.

1. Dehghanian Menshadi, H., Nik Sokhan, M. and Ardestani, M. (2013). Estimation of virtual water of watershed and its role in inter-basin water transmission systems. Journal of Water Resources Engineering, 6:101–107. (Persian)

2. Nikouei, A., Torkamani, J. and Mamanpoush, A. (2010). Management of water consumption at different levels of salinity in order to achieve multiple goals of Zayandehrood basin farmers. Journal ofIrrigation and Drainage, 4:143–155. (Persian)

3. Chapagain, A.K. and Hoekstra, A.Y. (2003). Virtual water flows between nations in relation to trade in livestock and livestock products. Delft, The Netherlands: UNESCO-IHE Institute for water Education (Value of Water Research Report).

4. Safi, R. and Mirlotfi, S. (2015). Assessment of sugarcane cultivation in Khuzestan province from the virtual water viewpoint. Journal of Water Resources Engineering, 8:87–96. (Persian)

7. Babazadeh, H. and Saraei Tabrizi, M. (2012). Evaluation of agricultural situation of Hormozgan province for virtual water perspective. Water Research in Agriculture (Soil and Water Sciences), (26):485–489. (Persian)

18. Mirzavand, M. and Eimani, R. (2015). Determination of optimal cropping pattern based on the concept of virtual water and economic profitability for dealing with water deficit: Case study: Kashan plain, Isfahan province. Water Resources and Development, 4:51–9. (Persian)

19. Anonymous. (2015). Land expansion and strategic document for development of Isfahan Province. Isfahan Science and Research Campus, Isfahan University of Technology, Iran. (Persian)

35. Sabouhi, M. and Soltani, G. (2008). Optimization of grop patterns in the basin with emphasis on social benefits and net imports of virtual water: A case study of Khorasan region. Water and Soil Science (Science and Technology of Agriculture and Natural Resource), 12:197–302. (Persian)